Pit Bull Attacks and Dogfighting in Illinois

Waukegan - Two leashed pit bulls were being walked past a fence-in yard and pulled a small dog named Gus through the fence and severely mauled him. Gus’ vertebra was cracked, he lost an eye, his jugular vein was cut. Gus’ owner saved Gus' life, but the veterinary costs are astronomical. (GoFundMe)

Poor Brave Gus. Waukegan Doesn't Need Pit Bulls

Presumably because in Waukegan dangerous dogs are put down, animal control and police refused to do their job and had the audacity to say that little Gus provoked the pit bulls by barking at them from inside his own yard. So Waukegan has put itself in the position of claiming that pit bulls that can’t be controlled even when they are leashed and still manage to pull a little dog out through a fence and inflict massive trauma and permanent damage aren’t dangerous.

Not only that, Police Sergeant Dennis Rosch is claiming that a pit bull owner that can’t control his dog even when it is on a leash and separated by a fence from another dog was acting responsibly. That is the height of irresponsibility topped only by the fact that he chose to keep the pit bulls he is unable to control after the attack.

Waukegan is going to review its dangerous dog ordinance. Waukegan dog laws were last revised in 2012 after a child was attacked by a pit bull in the 5th ward. Revisions were aimed at regulating back yard breeders. But, Waukegan chose not to implement breed specific laws for pit bulls, despite aldermen and animal control both stating that Waukegan’s dangerous dog problem is about pit bulls.
From articles at the time:

"We deal with dangerous dogs. Waukegan is known for them. Unfortunately, we are a town for pit bulls." - AC officer Nicole Garza

‘This law was made specifically for people who are just plain irresponsible,” said 1st Ward Ald. Sam Cunningham. “The unfortunate part is people have really become fascinated with owning pit bulls. (Those) irresponsible owners are causing havoc in the city of Waukegan. ... This is a good ordinance for us.”’

And before that? Waukegan dangerous dog laws were reviewed in 2008 after pit bull attack in which 2 pit bulls seriously mauled a 19 year old woman after they broke free from their leashes, but the city leaders decided not to implement a pit bull ban. They decided to modify their breed neutral dangerous dog laws instead.

From news report at the time:

“Unlike other nearby towns, Waukegan does not have any ordinances specific to pit bull ownership. Residents along the street say they will be at the city council meeting Monday to demand something be done.”

And before that? In October, 2006 waukegan city lawmakers resolved to strengthen Waukegan’s dangerous dog ordinance after two pit bulls escaped an apartment by forcing open a window, going to a park and severely mauling a little girl playing in the park by “playing tug-of war” with her little body. Still city lawmakers did not opt for restrictions on pit bulls. Instead, they crafted the dangerous dog law they have today, and which animal control and the police have failed in their responsibility to enforce.

From reporting in 2006:

“…the attack has renewed aldermanic debate about dangerous dog legislation and pit bulls as pets.‘I’ve seen that our officers have shot more than a handful of these dogs over the last year,’ Waukegan Police Department Commander Mark Stevenson said. ‘So it seems to be a pattern that obviously these dogs are dangerous.’”

And before that? In February 2006, just months before this girl’s attack in October 2006, Waukegan city lawmakers considered implementing a pit bull ban due to the great number of recent pit bulls attacks. They failed to follow through.

2003 Aug - Waukegan Police officer was attacked by two stray pit bulls in August and required treatement for injuries to his hand. One of the dogs was later shot and killed by police when it attacked again as they attempted to seize it.2005 Jul - A Waukegan police officer, responding to a report about a stray pit bull chasing a teenage boy on Winhaven Drive, was forced to fire a shot at the pit bull when it charged at him.2005 Aug - 49-year-old Beach Park woman was attacked by a pit bull on the 2500 block of North McAree Road. The woman told police she was walking down the street when the dog ran from its yard, lunged at her and bit her on the right hand before being chased off by a bystander.2005 Sep - Police seized a pit bull and a rottweiler that injured each other in a fight in a garage on Wadsworth Road. In that incident, the pit bull reportedly was on the loose and chased two girls to the roof of a car before attacking the chained rottweiler.

Despite there being persistent problems with dangerous pit bulls in Waukegan, city lawmakers, police and animal control have consistently chosen to stick their heads in the sand. They will once again attempt to modify dangerous dog laws and once again, it will not work, because they don’t have the courage to address the problem head on and regulate pit bulls.

Frankfort - A delivery person has filed a lawsuit against Cache Creek Animal Rescue alleging that a pit bull at the shelter attacked her unprovoked when she was delivering packages to the shelter.

Frankfort IL doesn't need pit bulls

In the complaint, which was filed recently in Will County, Sarah Fazzini claims she was "viciously" attacked by the pit bull at the shelter in July of 2017 while she was dropping off dog food and other items, the report stated. The pit bull allegedly bit her right hand and injured it to the point that it still causes her pain and will continue to do so in the future, the report added.

Fazzini alleges that she did not provoke the attack, and her lawsuit cites Illinois law that holds a dog owner responsible if the animal bites or attacks someone without provocation, the report stated. The shelter and Fazzini's lawyer did not return the Southtown's messages for comments.

Alsip - A pit bull attacked and killed an elderly woman on the back deck of her house at 11604 S. Komensky Ave. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office identified her as 76-year-old Dorothy Ford. The pit bull was owned by a family member and had lived with the victim for six years, since it was a puppy.

Alsip IL, doesn't need pit bulls

Police were alerted by a neighbor who saw the pit bull attacking while out walking his own dog. After police arrived, the pit bull continued acting aggressively and police shot and killed it. The police reported that the pit bull appeared well-fed and was well cared for. There were no previous complaints about the dog from neighbors to police or animal control.

"It was pretty horrific," said Deputy Chief Shawn Schuldt of the Alsip Police Department. "If I go through the rest of my career without seeing something like this, that would be a good thing. I feel extremely bad for the family and we offer them our condolences."

The most recent serious dog attack in Alsip previous to this was also perpetrated by a pit bull. Please read the reporting on that attack HERE. The Chicago Tribune treated the reporting as if the fate of the pit bull was more important than the welfare of the victim or the safety of the neighborhood.

Chicago - A 13-year veteran of the industry, broker Sonia Figueroa decided to get a gun to feel safe on the job due to several incidents which included a pit bull attack.

Pit bulls are a big problem in Chicago

“In February, while conducting a Facebook Live video from a vacant lot, Figueroa said she was attacked by a pit bull. Her screams were broadcast.”

She said she felt so helpless. “…I actually had a bag, it was like a book bag where I carry my laptop and I used that like a shield. If I didn’t have that I don’t know what would have happened or if I would even be here today.”
[from video]

Wheaton - A brand new puppy named Theo was killed by a pit bull that dashed out of its yard to attack. Theo was being walked on a leash by a mother and two girls aged 7 and 9 who saw their puppy mauled to death.

Wheaton lost a sweet puppy and still has a nasty mauler pit bull

Neighbors say that the pit bull has attacked before. The poor mother and former owner of Theo believes that DuPage animal control will work with her to get rid of the dangerous pit bull. They won't help her. They actively promote pit bulls and they are probably a big reason a pit bull was in the community in the first place.

Wheaton was listed among the "top 25 highest earning towns" on CNNMoney in 2010. Today it has a median family income of $107,763. There are likely no backyard breeders or dogfighters in Wheaton. The pit bulls are likely coming from rescues and shelters that may even import fighting dogs from outside the county and sell them as great family pets to Wheaton residents.

As the pit bull population rises, so will the number of serious attacks in even well-heeled areas of DuPage County.

Quincy - On February 27th of this year 21 year-old Jamie Owsley was killed by a pit bull in his own home. The local and state news outlets reported virtually nothing on the fatal attack and did no follow-ups on the attack at all. They failed to confirm that the cause of death was the dog attack, calling it "an apparent dog attack." The local news outlets failed to report that the killer dog was a family pit bull that the victim routinely slept with in his bed. Local outlets also failed to report that the killer pit bull had at least 3 reported bites, including one attack on a child and one that required stitches.

The only reason we know what happened is because DogsBite.org filed a Freedom of Information request, received a full police report on the attack, and reported on Jamie Owsley's death. No local or state news outlet bothered to do the bare minimum of reporting on the attack even after the killer pit bull's owner, KERRY D. TALBURT II, was subsequently arrested and charged with six felonies which included aggravated battery because he allegedly sicced another of his pit bulls on another man in July.

The police report states that Jamie Owsley died as a result of "penetrating and crushing injuries to the neck, due to dog attack." The day previous to the attack Owsley reportedly had suffered a seizure. The attack occurred at 3:26am, Sunday February 26. Owsley's roommate, relative, and the owner of Hercules, the killer pit bull, KERRY TALBURT II, woke up when he heard the attack, got Hercules the pit bull off Owsley and called his grandfather who came and took Jamie and Kerry to the hospital where Jamie was pronounced dead.

The coroner's report states that there were no defensive injuries suggesting that Owsley was alive but incapacitated at the time of the attack, suggesting that he may have been seizing at the time. Owsley regularly slept with Hercules and was well known to the pit bull. Hercules the killer pit bull latched onto Jamie's neck and crushed his "larynx and hyoid bone."

According to police, Talburt said he owned three pit bulls. He said that Hercules, a 4-year-old male pit bull did not get along with the other two pit bulls, Java (2 yrs) and Hoss (1.5 yrs) so when Hercules was out of his cage, the other two had to be caged. The typical sleeping arrangement was for the other two pit bulls to sleep in their cages in the bedroom with Talburt while Hercules slept in the living room on a bed with Owsley.

Woodridge - A woman was hospitalized after she was attacked by a pit bull at an apartment complex. The woman was attacked while walking through the complex. When she walked by a unit, a pit bull pushed out of a screen door and attacked her.

The Woman sustained multiple injuries and was taken to Good Samaratin Hospital.